Facts

Population

Capital City

Language

Plug types

Religion

Currency

Timezone

What to expect

Visiting Cambodia's provinces rewards the visitor with a glimpse of ASia that very few westerners see; deserted beaches, shimmering rice paddies, abandoned hill stations, beautiful French-colonial architecture and rugged mountains all await the visitor with more time to spend in the Kingdom of Wonder.

Phnom Penh and Siem Reap are rapidly developing, and here you will have access to a range of international cuisines, wireless internet, and other modern conveniences. However when travelling in more remote areas, you can expect clean yet basic accommodation, bumpy roads, and less choice when it comes to eating. Cambodia is hot all year round; if you feel the heat it is advisable to avoid touring and covered markets in the middle of the day.

Flight times

London

Events

Banks, public offices and some tourist sites will be closed on the holidays listed here. As major holidays are set according to the lunar calendar, dates change every year. Please check with our the UK-based Asia specialists for details.

1 January

is International New Year’s Day, a public vacation. Banks, public offices and some businesses will be closed.

7 January

is Victory Day, a public holiday celebrating the end of the Khmer Rouge's reign in 1979. Banks, public offices and some businesses will be closed.

February - on the full moon day of the third lunar month

is Meak Bochea Day, a public holiday commemorating the spontaneous gathering of monks to listen to Buddha's preaching. Banks, public offices and some businesses will be closed.

8 March

is International Women’s Day a public vacation. Banks, public offices and some businesses will be closed.

14-16 April

is Khmer New Year, a national public holiday, a major public vacation when banks, publics some businesses will be closed, and the Phnom Penh's Royal Palace will be periodically closed.

April/May - on the full moon day of the fifth luna month

is Visakha Buchea Day, a public vacation commemorating the birth, enlightenment and passing of Buddha. Banks, public offices and some businesses will be closed.

1 May

is Labour Day a public vacation. Banks, public offices and some businesses will be closed.

May - on the 4th to 6th days of the waning moon of the sixth lunar month

is the Royal Ploughing ceremony, a public vacation signifying the start of the ploughing season. A special ceremony foretells whether it will be a successful season or not. Banks, public offices and some businesses will be closed.

13-15 May

is a public holiday to celebrate the King's birthday. Banks, public offices and some businesses will be closed, and the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh will be periodically closed.

1 June

is a public vacation to recognise International and National Children's Day. Banks, public offices and some businesses will be closed.

18 June

is a public vacation to celebrate the Queen mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk's birthday. Banks, public offices and some businesses will be closed.

24 September

is a public vacation to mark Constitution Day, celebrating the signing of the Cambodian constitution by King Sihanouk.

September/October - on the 15th day of the tenth month in the Khmer calendar

is the three day Pchum Ben vacation, where Buddhists pay their respects to their ancestors. Banks, public offices and some businesses will be closed, and the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh will be closed periodically.

23 October

is Paris Peace Agreement Day, commemorates the Paris Peace agreement of 1991. Banks, public offices and some businesses will be closed.

29 October

is King Coronation Day, commemorating the coronation of the current king, Norodom Sihamoni.

9 November

is a public vacation to recognise Independence Day, or Cambodia's independence from France in 1953. Banks, public offices and some businesses will be closed.

November - on the full moon of the Buddhist month of Kadeuk

is the Water Festival, a major public vacation spanning several days commemorating the change in direction of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers. Banks, public offices and some businesses will be closed and the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh is closed periodically. There are very large crowds on the riverfront in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, plus road closures.

10 December

is International Human Rights Day a public vacation. Banks, public offices and some businesses will be closed.

Holidays that fall on a weekend may be observed the following Monday.

Health & Fitness

As with travelling to other parts of Asia, you need to take precautions when visiting Cambodia. Some of the diseases known to exist in Cambodia include hepatitis A and B, typhoid, tuberculosis, Japanese encephalitis, malaria, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, rabies and HIV/AIDS. You should talk to your doctor at least one month before you travel, to obtain up-to-date health advice and arrange any necessary vaccinations.

There are international clinics and hospitals in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Outside these centres, medical care facilities are basic. For more serious medical requirements, transfer to a hospital in Bangkok will likely be needed.

Visa Information

A Cambodian Tourist visa-on-arrival can be obtained for most nationalities at all major land border crossings and International Airports, including Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports for 30 USD cash. A visa form will be issued to you on the airplane or on arrival. Alternatively you can obtain an “e-Visa” online here.

If you prefer to arrange your visa before you travel, you can apply for a 30-day tourist visa atwww.mfaic.gov.kh. This visa costs 20-25 BP, payable by credit card. Please allow at least three full business days for delivery. Note: this visa is only valid for arrival at Phnom Penh or Siem Reap international airports, Cham Yeam (Koh Kong), Poi Pet (Banteay Meanchey) and Bavet (Svay Rieng).

Note: Cambodian visa regulations and arrangements are subject to change. We strongly advise that you check with the Cambodian embassy or consulate closest to you prior to travel. It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct visa.

Phnom Penh International Airport

Siem Reap - Angkor International Airport

Poipet (Banteay Meanchey Province, bordering Thailand)

O’Smach (Oddar Meanchey Province, bordering Thailand)

Cham Yeam (Koh Kong Province, bordering Thailand)

Bavet (Svay Reing Province, bordering Vietnam)

Kaam Samnor on the Mekong River (Kandal Province, bordering Vietnam).

Please note: Cambodian visa regulations and arrangements are subject to change and it is your responsibility to ensure your visa is in order before you travel. We strongly suggest that you check with the relevant embassies in your country of residence that these guidelines are applicable to you.

Safety and security

Tourist areas in Cambodia are safe by world standards, but the usual common-sense safety precautions should be adhered to.

In Phnom Penh in particular, it is advisable to steer clear of badly lit streets at night, and to take taxis rather than cyclos. We recommend that throughout your travels in Cambodia you keep a hotel address card with you so you can show drivers where to go. Petty crime can also be a problem in Phnom Penh. It is a good idea to wear as little jewellery as possible when on the street, and to keep your money close to your body in a secure place.

Throughout your stay, always keep a photocopy of your passport, airline tickets and credit card numbers. These documents should be kept in a safe place separate from the originals. You should leave valuables in hotel safety deposit boxes wherever possible.

Reading

‘Angkor, an Introduction to the Temples’ (Odyssey), by Dawn Rooney

- Excellent lead-in to the wonderful temples and to ancient Khmer history. Several brief but illuminating pages on each main temple, with good colour photos.

‘Culture Shock Cambodia (A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette)’, by Peter North

- The much-awaited Cambodia version in the ‘Culture Shock’ series contains practical information on the defining characteristics of Cambodian social norms and society. Highly recommended for responsible travellers who want more than just a surface understanding of a unique and complex culture.

‘Cambodia, Report from a Stricken Land’, by Henry Kamm

- Based on the author's career experiences as a journalist in Cambodia from the 1970s and numerous interviews with Khmer Rouge leaders and Norodom Sihanouk. The book provides a concise account of the steps leading up to the rise to power of the Khmer Rouge and its four year reign.

‘Sihanouk, Prince of Light, Prince of Darkness’, by Milton Osborne

- Milton Osborne is one of the best and easiest to read writers on Indochina and Cambodia. Osborne lived in Phnom Penh from the late 1950s and used his societal contacts and other research sources to prepare this frank account of the enigmatic and ultimately self-centric Sihanouk.

‘River of Time’, by Jon Swain

- One of the best introductory reads into the trauma of the Indochina war era. Swain writes of his personal experiences as a journalist and resident in Phnom Penh and Vietnam, and recounts some soul destroying stories from Cambodia's lost decade, the 1970s.

- This doyen of British travel writing writes lucidly and perceptively of his travels in Indochina, at the end of the colonial-era in the late 1950s. A classic.

Useful words & phrases

Hello (or hi)

Sur s'dei

How are you?

Niak Sohk sabay te

I'm fine, thank you

Kh'nyohm sohk sabay

Thank you

Or kun

What is your name?

Teur niak chhmooh ar vey

My name is…

TKh'nyohm chhmooh...

How old are you?

Niak ar yuh ponn mamn

I am …years old

Kh’nyohm ar yuh ... chhnamm

How much is ...?

Teur ...thlai ponnmamn

It's too expensive!

Vear thlai naa

No

Te

Yes

Jah

Excuse me /I'm sony

Sohm toh

No need

Lia sen hao-y

Thank you, but I don’t need a plastic bag

Or kun. Pon teh kh'nyohm min trov kar thong plastic te

Getting around

Arrival and departure transfers

Your transfer driver will be wearing an Insider Journeys t-shirt and carrying an Insider Journeys signboard with your name on it.

Road: For six travellers or more, air-conditioned Hyundai with 25-40 seats are used. If you are travelling in a smaller group, travel will be by air-conditioned minibus or modern sedan car. Metered taxis are cheap and plentiful in Phnom Penh, and tuk tuks provide a novel way to get around Siem Reap.

Air: Most flights within Cambodia are on ATR 72 planes. Flight schedules frequently change, which may impact travel plans.

Internet

Internet: Internet services are widely available in Cambodia's urban centres, and rates are usually minimal. Many of the larger cities and towns' restaurants, cafes, hotels and bars feature complimentary Wi-Fi.

Phone: Fixed line phone calls and faxes, most often found in hotels, can be the most expensive, usually from 4 USD to 6 USD per minute. It is not possible to make reverse charge calls from Cambodia.It is possible to use your mobile or cellular phone in Cambodia, although you may need to organize roaming with your service provider prior to travel and charges can be high.

Mail: International mail from Cambodia generally takes seven to ten days to reach its destination. Prices are equivalent to Western postal rates.

Food & drink

The staple food for most Cambodians is rice, which is eaten with most meals and cooked in a variety of styles. Cambodian cuisine is closely related to the cuisines of neighbouring Thailand and Vietnam. Until the 16th century Cambodian and central Thai food was quite similar, however the Portuguese introduction of chilli (from Brazil) to Ayuthaya (then Thailand’s capital) led to a divergence in national staples; the Thais developed a preference for spicier, chilli-based foods, while the Cambodians continued to use a spice paste (called ‘kroeung’), comprising of milder flavourings such as lemongrass, galangal, ginger and cardamom.

In Cambodia, like other parts of the developing world, eating cold, uncooked dishes such as salad is more likely to lead to stomach upsets than cooked dishes. It is unadvisable to drink water from the tap, even in hotels; however bottled water can be purchased cheaply and is also provided complimentary in most hotel rooms.

Tipping

If you are happy with the services provided by your local guides, drivers and your tour leader, a tip is appropriate and appreciated. While it may not be customary to you, tipping inspires great service, and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across Asia. You are free to tip as much or as little as you see fit, depending on your perception of service quality and the length of your trip.

Should you be dissatisfied with the services provided by your Local guide, driver or Tour leader, please let us know.

Swimming

Most but not all hotels have swimming pools. There are no required safety standards such as secure fencing so it is imperative that children are supervised near and around the pool areas. Cambodia’s beaches are also safe to swim in, however beach lifeguards do not exist.

Caution should be taken and children supervised at all times. Khmer people are very modest and proper swimming attire should be worn at all times. Nudity of any description is extremely offensive.

Responsible travel

Insider Journeys practices a thorough, realistic responsible travel policy. We believe that travel should entail an exchange of knowledge and perspectives, a sharing of wealth, and a genuine appreciation of Asia’s beautiful natural environments. This philosophy underpins the heart and soul of our style of travel. It drives all that we strive to deliver to our travellers, and shapes the contact we have with our supplier colleagues in Asia. We recognise that poorly planned itineraries or poorly informed tourists contribute less to cross-cultural understanding and less to the livelihoods of local people. We also recognise that we largely work in a developing part of the world.